Muslim Voices In School

"The essays in this book think through and with Deleuzian concepts in the educational field. The resultant encounters between concepts such as multiplicity, becoming, habit and affect and Multiple Literacies Theory exemplify philosophically inspired and productive thinking. "—Paul Patton, Professor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales

This edited collection brings together international leading scholars to explore why the education of Muslim students is globally associated with radicalisation, extremism and securitisation. The chapters address a wide range of topics, including neoliberal education policy and globalization; faith-based communities and Islamophobia; social mobility and inequality; securitisation and counter terrorism; and shifting youth representations. Educational sectors from a wide range of national settings are discussed, including the US, China, Turkey, Canada, Germany and the UK; this international focus enables comparative insights into emerging identities and subjectivities among young Muslim men and women across different educational institutions, and introduces the reader to the global diversity of a new generation of Muslim students who are creatively engaging with a rapidly changing twenty-first century education system. The book will appeal to those with an interest in race/ethnicity, Islamophobia, faith and multiculturalism, identity, and broader questions of education and social and global change.

This book tells the stories of eleven remarkable people in the Islamic world, from a religious musician in Pakistan who sings the sufferings of the saints and hopes to bring reconciliation to his country, to the son of one of the greatest Shi'ite scholars of Iraq who was murdered trying to restore peace in his city.

Despite frequent and extensive publications on Islam, very few Americans, indeed very few non-Muslims, truly understand the faith or the more than one billion adherents who live it. This set presents the diversity and richness of Islam, filling in the blanks and expanding our knowledge and understanding. Portraying Muslims in all their humanity and diversity balances the images that have bombarded society and presents the reader with a fuller and more accurate picture of the Islamic faith and what it means to live as a Muslim—in Muslim communities, and as part of a broader tapestry of pluralism in the nations of the world. What does it mean to share Muslim concerns? To experience Muslim spirituality? What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite sects? Why do Muslims pray so frequently? What is the reality of Muslim marriage and gender relations? What is the meaning of jihad and martyrdom to a practicing Muslim? What role do the arts and humanities play in modern Muslim life? How are Islamic children raised? These questions and others are answered in these volumes, which bring together Muslim voices from around the world, including men and women, scholars and laypersons, fundamentalists and progressives, and others from various cultural, political, and Islamic backgrounds. Personal experiences and poetry are included to illustrate the many different expressions of Islam.

This book explores the position of Muslim schools in contemporary Britain. A Critical Race Theory approach is used to consider some of the specific issues faced by Muslim schools, in particular those looking to become state-funded. The book provides a critically considered and meaningful application of a theory of 'race' to Muslims as a religious community, without restricting the analysis to minority ethnic Muslim groups; it also provides a counter-narrative which contests assumptions about Muslim schools presented in the media and in public debates more generally. These insights are positioned against current political climates within which Muslims have been consistently subjected to surveillance and suspicion. The book draws on first-hand research carried out inside Muslim schools to offer insights into the ways that these schools cater to diverse and locally-specific needs. It concludes by arguing that independent Islamic schools represent ideal models of community need. Therefore, bringing such schools into the state sector, in a way that allows them to retain autonomy, represents an ideal strategy for the educational and political enfranchisement of British Muslims. Muslim schooling represents an opportunity for increased state investment in Muslim interests as a strategy for offsetting the ways in which Muslim communities have been marginalised more generally in contemporary political climates. The book will make compelling reading for students and researchers in the fields of Education, Sociology, and Religious Studies, particularly those with an interest in faith schools, Islam, and Critical Race Theory.

Veiled Voices: Muhajabat in Secular Schools is based on ethnographic research that examines, questions, and dispels assumptions regarding American Muslim females that wear the Islamic headscarf (hijab) and attend secular schools. Prior to sharing the voice of the six females focused upon in this study, Dr. Jawairriya Abdallah-Shahid provides a thorough explanation of what Islam, Sunnah, and Shariah teach regarding hijab. What is unique about this work is the thorough explanation provided to readers regarding Islam’s teachings pertaining to hijab. This allows readers to gain insight and understanding not usually provided when this subject is discussed. The purpose of sharing Islam’s hijab perspective is to introduce the reader to the many variables and possibilities that encompasses why some Muslim females veil. An analysis of the social and psychological effects of difference forces readers to confront their own biases and misunderstandings regarding Muslim females that wear hijab and provides an opportunity for the reexamination of these views after reading and understanding the in depth information provided. The challenges, discrimination, joys, and tribulations faced by the muhajabat are shared by them and displays an array of experiences that are not homogeneous. The commonality of their experiences is rooted in their ability to continue in their efforts to complete their education. The final chapter makes an important suggestion regarding society’s outlook regarding Muslim females that wear hijab and offers relevant research findings pertaining to muhajabat.

This novel and contemporary anthology brings important topics about race, religion, and identity to the foreground to address the challenges facing Muslim schoolchildren today. Through interviews and case studies, the chapters explore topics such as multiethnic education, teacher diversity, and culturally responsive pedagogy, providing insights into necessary changes and ways to enhance schools. Taking into account cultural touchstones such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Trojan Horse affair, the book argues for an urgent, transformative accommodation of Muslims to take place within schooling in order to improve the educational standards of Muslim children within the United Kingdom, including several chapters that focus on Muslim education in locations such as Yorkshire, Peterborough, High Wycombe, and Tower Hamlets, and further afield. This book will be of importance to scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students studying religious education, secondary education, and multicultural education more broadly. Policymakers interested in education policy and politics, as well as race and ethnicity in educational contexts, may potentially benefit from the volume.

A joyous short story collection by and about Muslims, edited by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed and Morris finalist S. K. Ali Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations. The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina's Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy's Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.